From Washington

Cultural Diplomacy Initiative

The Washington-based Center for Arts and Culture has joined with the Coalition for American Leadership Abroad (COLEAD), in an effort designed to bring foreign policy and cultural communities together to revitalize the State Department's international programs. Under a collaborative initiative group called "Americans for International Arts and Cultural Exchange," the Center and partners in the Foreign Service community are working to develop research and make the case for increased resources for cultural diplomacy programs. Task forces formed around the Americans for International Arts and Cultural Exchange initiative met in Washington throughout the fall of 2002.

The initiative has set goals to increase appropriations for State Department international cultural activities, increase awareness of the importance of a stronger cultural diplomacy effort at the federal level, and obtain additional resources for cultural diplomacy programs in the form of both new federal funding and private sector funding.

On January 8, 2003 the Center for Arts and Culture co-sponsored a program on public radio station WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi show on the topic of "Exporting U.S. Culture." A follow-up program is scheduled for January 15. The Center is working with Georgetown University on a conference tentatively scheduled for March 3 and with the National Arts Journalism Program and Columbia University on a conference on April 14-15 on the topic of cultural diplomacy.

State Legislative Appropriations to Arts Agencies on Decline in FY03

After ten years of steady growth, legislative appropriations for state arts agencies has fallen for the second consecutive year, according to a report released by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) on January 2. According to the study, 62 percent of the decline can be attributed to two states: Massachusetts and California.

Overall state legislative appropriations went from $408.6 million in FY2002 to $353.9 million in FY2003. In some states arts agencies could face addition- al mid-year cuts as state legislatures struggle to balance budgets.

California slashed its appropriation for state grantmaking in the arts from $32 million to $20 million in FY2003. In Massachusetts the amount for arts grants was cut from $14.6 million to just $7.3 million for FY2003.

IMLS Request for Proposals

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) recently accepted proposals to conduct a large national study of the information needs and expectations of users and potential users of online information. IMLS will make a single award of up to $500,000 under the project, and the project will be carried out under cooperative agreement with IMLS The study, expected to be completed in the fall of 2005, is to provide data and recommendations about content that should be made available online to meet information and enterprise needs of the public, and mechanisms and resources necessary to efficiently and effectively connect users to that content. IMLS will announce the award of the project in September 2003. For more information see www.imls.gov.

Independent Sector Names Interim President

Independent Sector, the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit coalition of more than 700 national organizations and foundations, has named Peter Shiras as interim president effective January 1, 2003. His appointment will end when a new president is found. Mr. Shiras has previously served as senior vice president for programs. Sara E. Melendez announced her departure in the middle of last year to join the faculty of George Washington University. Independent Sector has also named five new members to its board for three-year terms of service: Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and president of PolicyLink; David Eisner, senior vice president of the AOL Time Warner Foundation; Kevin Klose, president and CEO of National Public Radio; Paula Van Ness, president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America; and Gary L. Yates, president and CEO of the California Wellness Foundation. For more information visit Independent Sector.

Shelley Feist is with the national program in culture of the Pew Charitable Trusts.